Genetic homogeneity of cystic fibrosis

We studied large Amish/Mennonite/Hutterite kindreds that segregate cystic fibrosis (CF) for linkage between CF and the polymorphic DNA markers pJ3.11 and 7C22 located on chromosome 7. These inbred pedigrees consist of more than 300 members including 30 affected individuals. In these families, linkage between the CF locus and the chromosome 21 marker D21S5 and between CF and the marker at the met oncogene locus on chromosome 7 had been previously indicated. We now report linkage between CF and pJ3.11 (Z = 4.92, theta = 0) and between CF and 7C22 (Z = 3.42, theta = 0). Therefore, CF segregates in these large pedigrees in a manner consistent with data from smaller outbred families with respect to the markers on chromosome 7 closest to CF. These data are consistent with locus homogeneity for the defect causing CF in the populations that have been examined to date.